Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez, 52, of St. Petersburg admitted to touching the animal but said she didn't know it was illegal.

Although authorities believe the molested manatee was unharmed, it's hard to gauge whether there was any psychological damage done by a large woman suddenly hopping on to its back and dry-humping it riding it like a pony.

Manatees are mild creatures, and their tolerance of humans has led them to being killed, particularly by motorboats. Also, they're incredibly slow. So it's tough for them to try to buck off some asshole who decides that it's MANATEE RODEO TIME!

"It's a wild animal. It's not something to be ridden," said Susan Butler, a manatee expert with the U.S. Geological Survey in Gainesville. "I can't say that as a biologist I would ever, ever condone that or say that [the manatee] wanted them to do that."

Gutierrez was neither arrested nor charged, and the case was referred to the State Attorney's Office, according to authorities.

Under the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, sea-cow molestation constitutes a second-degree misdemeanor, an offense punishable by a $500 fine or a term of up to 60 days in the county jail.